Multiple orifice filling machine

ABSTRACT

A multiple outlet feeder for filling containers with flowable materials has a surrounding frame which houses motor and drive means disposed about a continuously feed hopper. The hopper has a plurality of outlets each supplied with an auger type flow control, and the augers are uniformly driven by common drive means.

United States Patent illlberg [45] Apr. 25, 1972 MULTIPLE ORIF ICEFILLING [56] References Cited MACHINE UNITED STATES PATENTS I721 lnvenmRaymmld Ullberg, Washington, 2,189,018 2/1940 Robinson ..222/330 x3,369,578 2/1968 Lampert ..222/271 3 Assigneez AILFi, Inc. NewtonSquare, Pa. 2,190,851 2/1940 Staege ..74/665 X [22] Filed: Oct. 22, 1969Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Francis J. Bartuska[21] APPLNOJ 868386 Alt0rney-RobertG.McMorrow 52 us. Cl. ..222 240, 74410, 74/665 GD, [571 ABSTRACT 222/241, 222/271, 222/413 A multipleoutlet feeder for filling containers with flowable [5]] Int. Cl. ..G0lf11/00 materials has a surrounding frame which houses motor and [58]Field of Search ..222/27l, 412, 238, 241, 242, drive means disposedabout a continuously feed hopper. The

222/413, 330, 240, 410; 74/665 GB, 665 GD, 410

hopper has a plurality of outlets each supplied with an auger type flowcontrol, and the augers are uniformly driven by common drive means.

1 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED APR 2 5 I972 SHEET 1 UF 4 PATENTELPR 2 5 I972 SHEET 2 BF 4 U I i MULTIPLE ORIFICEFILLING MACHINEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention is directed to a filling or dispensing. mechanism formaterials such as powders, dense liquids or semi-liquid substances,granular matter, and the like, such materials being for deposit in aseries of containers. Machines of this nature are employed in theplacement of pharmaceutical preparations in their containers, in fillingcosmetic receptacles, and in similar uses, and due to the nature ofthese materials it is of particular importance that quantitativeaccuracy of fill rate be maintained. A principalobjective of thisinvention resides, therefore, in supplying multiple filling means usablein a production facility wherein a number of containers may besimultaneously filled, with retention of the critical accuracy factordictated by the intended environment of use.

A further objective of importance concerns the provision of hoppermeans, in a device of this character, adapted for continuous materialsupply. It is an additional important feature of the hopper that it bereadily demountable whereby the actuating mechanism may be serviced orvariable accessories installed for handling particular classes ofmaterial to be dispensed.

This invention provides a unique combination of a dispensing augerassembly for each of its multiple orifices in combination with adeflector and funnel assembly which serves to standardize the fluentcharacteristics of the dispensed materials.

Among the additional objects and advantages of the invention are theprovision of a single drive means which accurately controls a pluralityof dispensers; avoidance of costly duplication of equipment components;increased uniformity of fill characteristics by avoidance of thenecessity for resetting of the mechanism for separate production runs;and enhancement of fill accuracy during extended periods of operation.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of thefollowing specification when read in conjunction with the annexeddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION-OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showingdispensing apparatus constructed and assembled in accordance with theteachings of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 ofFIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, foreshortened sectional view along line 33 ofFIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is a foreshortened top sectional view substantially on line 44 ofFIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings ingreater detail, the invention assembly is therein designated by generalreference numeral 10. The apparatus 10 may assume numerousconfigurations within the scope of the invention, particularly insofaras environments of employment and adaptations for use are concerned. Inthis illustrated form, the apparatus 10 is mounted on a suitablestandard 12 adjacent a mobile production facility which is notspecifically shown in the drawings.

The apparatus 10 comprises a frame 14 which includes a flat connectingmember 16 joined to the standard 12 by connectors 18. F ixedly securedto the member 16 is a motor housing 20 having side walls 22, 24, frontand rear walls 26, 28, and a bottom 30 resting on and secured to themember 16. The wall 22 has an exterior lateral support element 32 fixedthereto, and an elongated, substantially rectangular base plate 34projects outwardly therefrom. The plate 34 has an upper surface 36, andhas a series of laterally aligned vertical openings 38 formed therein,serving a purpose described in more detail below. The plate is furtherprovided with a rigidifyingbrace 40 which is fixed thereto and which hasa corresponding series of vertical openings 42 therein aligned with theopenings 38.

Projecting upwardly from the distal end 44 of the plate 34 is asubstantially vertical side plate 46. The plate 46 is secured, as byconventional changeable fasteners 48, to the base plate.

A drive housing 50 interconnects the motor housing 20 and the side plate46. The drive housing comprises a division wall 52, an end wall 54, anda top wall 56. Suitable closure means, in the form of forward and rearpanels 58, 60 are also supplied. As is best shown in FIG. 2, thedivision wall 52 spans the distance between the side plate 46 and theside wall 24, and bears against the upper limit of the side wall 22.

Mounted operatively within the housing 20, preferably on the rear wall28, thereof is an electric motor 62 having a series of pulley wheels 64on its rotating end shaft. The motor is controlled and its operatingrate determined by suitable switch means 63 mounted on the front wall 26of the housing. The switch means 63 controls an electrical timingmechanism, of conventional design, which is not specifically shown inthe drawing. The function of the timing mechanism is to control themetering of the material. A clutch brake 66 is secured on the divisionwall 52 above the motor within the drive housing, and has a pulley wheel68 on one end thereof. A drive belt 70 is trained about the pulleys 64and 68 and extends through a port 72 in the division wall to operate theclutch brake at a selected rate of rotation.

The clutch brake has an output shaft 74 carrying a driving gear 76meshed with the apparatus drive, described below.

The drive housing has an intermediate vertical wall 78. Mounted on saidwall 78 and on the end wall 54 are coaligned pairs of bearings 80, 82and 84, 86. Drive shaft means, in the form of dual drive shafts 88 and90, respectively, are disposed in the bearings rotatably, and eachcarries an inward driving gear 92, 94. The latter gears are meshed withthe driving gear 76 for rotation therewith. In FIGS. 3 and 4, it will beobserved that each of the shafts also carries a plurality of helicalgears 96 thereon.

A major component of this invention is the new and novel hopper thereof.The hopper 98 is of irregular form having a first, substantiallyvertical side wall 100, end walls 102, 104, and an opposite, outwardlyinclined side wall 106. The lower portion of the wall 106 has aninwardly inclined portion 108 extending from the wall 100, forming, withsimilarly inclined bottom portions of the end walls 102 and 104 aconstricted section 110 at the base end of the hopper. As shown in FIG.2, a series of inverted, V-form walls 111 extend between the portion 108of the side wall and the wall 106 in the constricted section to define aseries of lower open throats. The hopper has a flat cover 112 with anopening 114 therein. In this preferred form of the invention, a materialsupply tube 116 extends through the opening 114 and into the hopper.Preferably, the tube is angularly disposed, and has an angle portion 117arranged adjacent the wall 106. The tube 116 may lead to a productionsource of a substance to be dispensed by the filling machine, or toother supply sources.

A further important feature of the invention resides in the provision ofplural supply control means. A significant component of such meanscomprises a plurality of substantially vertical shafts, collectivelyidentified in the drawings by reference numeral 118. Each shaft 118comprises an assembly which includes a main or central section 120, towhich is releasably joined an upper shaft 122, and a lower shaft 124.The upper shafts 122 include reduced end portions 126 which extendthrough bearing apertures 128 in the division wall 52 into end bearings130 in the top wall 56. At an appropriate height (depending upon thedriving shaft 88 or 90 to be employed) the upper shafts 122 carryhelical gears 134 meshed with the corresponding gears 96 carried by theshafts. Thus, the horizontal rotation of the shafts 88 and 90 istranslated into vertical rotary motion of the shaft means 118.

The lower shafts 124 are secured to the central sections 120 byreleasable collet means 136. Extending from the lower end of each ofsaid shafts is an elongated auger 138 consisting of a vertical shaft 140and a spiral screw 142. Mounted on the section 124 is an agitator arm144 which rotates with the shaft, and which has a depending side portioncontacting the screw and arranged at an angle generally coincident withthe portion 108 of the wall 100.

The outer or distal end of the shaft 140 has a deflector disc 148secured thereon by a bolt 150. Thus, material fed into the hopperthrough the supply tube 116 is maintained in substantially constantmotion by virtue of the agitators 144 and is forced downwardly by actionof the screw means. In FIGS. 2 and 3, it will be observed that a tubularsleeve 152 is provided for each of the augers 138, the sleeves beingsecured in the openings 42 of the brace 40 in vertical alignment withthe throats of the constricted portion 110, the latter extending intothe openings 38. Surrounding the outlet end 154 of each of the sleevesis the upper, enlarged receiving section 156 ofa funnel 158. The funnels158 are supported, by means not shown in the drawings, immediately overthe containers to be filled by the apparatus. Thus, material ejectedfrom the sleeves 150 is received in the funnels following impingementupon the discs 148 and is then uniformly gravitated through the funnel150 and into the ultimate container.

As will be observed from the foregoing, where the nature of the materialto be dispensed so dictates, the auger means may be supplemented orchanged to other and different types of impelling equipment in order toaffect the desired accuracy of fill rate. It will further be noted thatthe common drive means for each of the shafts insures the fact that eachsleeve 152 will dispense the same measured quantity of material withinany given time period.

The scope of the invention is defined in the appended claim.

I claim:

1. Dispensing apparatus for employment in dispensing of flowablematerials at a controlled flow rate, the apparatus comprising:

a supporting frame including a base plate with a series of openingstherein, a side plate secured to the base plate, a motor housing securedto the base plate and a drive housing interconnecting the side plate andthe motor housing;

motor means mounted in said motor housing;

plural drive shaft means disposed in the drive housing and operativelyassociated with said motor means;

a hopper, having a constricted lower portion with a series of throats,mounted on the base plate below the drive housing, the throats beingdisposed in the openings of the base plate;

a series of sleeves mounted below the throats;

the hopper having a cover with an opening therein;

an inlet supply tube extending into the hopper through the opening insaid cover;

a plurality of substantially vertical connecting shafts extending fromthe drive housing, the connecting shafts being rotated at substantiallyidentical rates of rotation by the drive shaft means;

auger means secured to each of said connecting shafts and extendingthrough the throats into the respective sleeves;

deflector means for each of the auger means;

a series of funnel members arranged to receive material dispensed by theauger means through said sleeves, the funnel members being disposedabout the respective deflector means;

said plural drive shaft means comprising vertically spaced horizontallyextending drive shafts overlying said hopper and extending across andadjacent to the upper ends of said connecting shafts;

helical gear means coupling said connecting shafts to said drive shaftsin alternate fashion to effect equal distribution of the load betweenthe drive shafts;

a clutch and brake unit positioned within said drive housing andoverlying said drive motor; and

a variable speed endless belt drive connecting said drive motor to saidclutch and brake unit and gear means positively connecting saidvertically spaced drive shafts to the output of said clutch and brakeunit whereby said multiple auger means are driven at the same speed in apositive manner.

1. Dispensing apparatus for employment in dispensing of flowablematerials at a controlled flow rate, the apparatus comprising: asupporting frame including a base plate with a series of openingstherein, a side plate secured to the base plate, a motor housing securedto the base plate and a drive housing interconnecting the side plate andthe motor housing; motor means mounted in said motor housing; pluraldrive shaft means disposed in the drive housing and operativelyassociated with said motor means; a hopper, having a constricted lowerportion with a series of throats, mounted on the base plate below thedrive housing, the throats being disposed in the openings of the baseplate; a series of sleeves mounted below the throats; the hopper havinga cover with an opening therein; an inlet supply tube extending into thehopper through the opening in said cover; a plurality of substantiallyvertical connecting shafts extending from the drive housing, theconnecting shafts being rotated at substantially identical rates ofrotation by the drive shaft means; auger means secured to each of saidconnecting shafts and extending through the throats into the respectivesleeves; deflector means for each of the auger means; a series of funnelmembers arranged to receive material dispensed by the auger meansthrough said sleeves, the funnel members being disposed about therespective deflector means; said plural drive shaft means comprisingvertically spaced horizontally extending drive shafts overlying saidhopper and extending across and adjacent to the upper ends of saidconnecting shafts; helical gear means coupling said connecting shafts tosaid drive shafts in alternate fashion to effect equal distribution ofthe load between the drive shafts; a clutch and brake unit positionedwithin said drive housing and overlying said drive motor; and a variablespeed endless belt drive connecting said drive motor to said clutch andbrake unit and gear means positively connecting said vertically spaceddrive shafts to the output of said clutch and brake unit whereby saidmultiple auger means are driven at the same speed in a positive manner.